Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry testify for new paparazzi law

Actress Jennifer Garner fought back tears on Tuesday as she called on California lawmakers to pass a bill banning paparazzi harassment, after describing how a dangerous stalker had once hidden among a crowd of snappers to follow her every move.

The star joined forces with fellow Hollywood mom, Halle Berry, to testify before the Assembly Judiciary Committee at the California State Capitol in support of a new law that would impose tougher penalties on photographers who constantly tail celebrities and their kids.

Garner, who has three young children with husband Ben Affleck, grew particularly emotional as she discussed her stalking nightmare.

She told the committee members, “Being stalked has been hard for me, but it is beyond what a child should have to endure. I am an actress but I am a mom first. My children aren’t actors or celebrities. They’re just kids like your kids or anyone else’s and, just like you want to protect your children, I want to protect mine… They’re beautiful and sweet and innocent, and I don’t want a gang of shouting, arguing, lawbreaking photographers who camp out everywhere we are all day every day to continue traumatizing my kids.”

Pregnant Berry, who has been a staunch supporter of the SB606 proposal, also testified on Tuesday and revealed that one photographer had even had the nerve to suggest her daughter Nahla, with her ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, may never be reunited with her dad as they fought over custody of the 5 year old in court.

The actress recalled, “(The photographer) said, ‘How do you feel, Nahla? You may not see your father again. How do you feel about that?’

“They say curse words and call me names, all trying to provoke some sort of response to sell a photograph.”

Berry insisted the paparazzi regularly behave badly around her and her little girl and she constantly has to explain their unwanted presence to young Nahla: “(She asked), ‘Why did they say that to me, mommy? What does that mean? Who are these men and why are they following us?’

“We aren’t just whiny celebrities… We’re moms who are just trying to protect our children.”

The bill, which would ban the photographing of a child without the permission of a legal guardian, was passed after a lengthy discussion and it will now go to the Appropriations Committee for review.